A few weeks ago, we told you about a “self-disinfecting” mask, the Pro Mask by Livinguard, destroying viruses and bacteria with polypropylenes concentrating a high density of positive charge and – according to the manufacturer – “when microbes come into contact with these positive charges, the microbial cell […] is destroyed”.
As for Israeli company Sonovia, they provide an antivirus mask augmented in zinc oxide nanoparticles via sonication. Particles are added by sound wave said to be strong. “When in contact with the virus with the nanoparticles, there is a reaction destroying the bacteria or virus” head of research at Sonovia Aaron Garzon explains.
Sonovia boasts about being able to provide an antiviral mask that can last 55 weeks, against 30 weeks for Livinguard; both only requiring to be washed once a week. Yet, the technology used includes risk – Livinguard board says. On their website, it reads “Some masks pretend to be antiviral and rely on chemical products such as benzalkonium chloride or metal-based technologies such as silver, copper, zinc. Known as leaching, they cannot be definitively attached to the surface of the fabric and can then end up on the skin, or even more worrying, be inhaled or swallowed”.
Sonovia explains “cytotoxicity tests, ran in the Hygcen laboratory approved by the European Union in Austria, have revealed a cell vitality over 70% in comparison with control mask”. Success is here. So much that Sonovia thinks about stock market launch with a $50 million NASDAQ listing. After the wave of needs for anti-covid masks, the company is already picturing itself producing carpets, clothes, even hijabs for Arab countries.
But SonoMask by Sonovia has not been given the European Certification Medical Device Class 1. A certification providing another guarantee for these masks sold $45 apiece online.
